Microneedles for allergy skin testing: Comprehensive analysis of agreement, accuracy, and pain

Background: The skin prick test (SPT) is a standard method for identifying allergic sensitization. However, pain and needle phobia often compromise pediatric compliance. Microneedle devices offer a minimally invasive alternative to conventional lancets. Objective: We evaluated the agreement, diagnostic accuracy, and patient tolerability of a novel microneedle compared to a lancet for SPT. Methods: diagnostic performance by receiver operating characteristic analysis, and pain by a visual analog scale. Conclusion: The microneedle demonstrates high diagnostic performance and good concordance with the standard lancet while significantly reducing pain, thus supporting its utility in pediatric and needle-averse populations.